(Trans)Humanism, Curriculum Studies and Why Philosophy Matters
Abstract
This paper is about (trans)human philosophy and curriculum studies. Here, the author argues that a more (trans)human approach—one that includes the relations between cultural studies (here comics), (trans) gender studies and post-Husserlian phenomenology in this age of anxiety- might make us think and feel in new ways. This paper contributes to the field of curriculum studies because it puts together three subtexts that are not usually seen as bedfellows. Phenomenology is a humanist enterprise, and anything (post) is a posthuman or postmodern enterprise. Are these compatible? This paper shows that they can be--if we re-think of curriculum as hovering in between in the interstices of the human and posthuman, the modern and postmodern, the human and the transhuman. That is, humanism is still part and parcel of postanything. We are still human are we not? Or are we. Some argue that philosophy is not relevant to curriculum. Or, they ask what does philosophy have to do with curriculum? Well, philosophy is relevant because the basic questions of philosophy are also the basic questions of curriculum. Why am I alive? What is death? What does it mean to be human? What is a robot? What is AI why is it dangerous? What are computers? How is all of this inter-related? At a time when universities are getting rid of the humanities or down playing their importance, (philosophy, history, languages, literature)—this paper argues that the university curriculum must include the humanities if we are to get through this life as humans and not monsters. Sartre once said that all European humanism did was create monstrosities. Yes, that is true. But still if humanism is both critiqued it can still be a useful way to intellectually get through the world.
Presentation Description
This paper is about (trans)human philosophy and curriculum studies. Here, the author argues that a more (trans)human approach—one that includes the relations between cultural studies (here comics), (trans) gender studies and post-Husserlian phenomenology in this age of anxiety- might make us think and feel in new ways. This paper contributes to the field of curriculum studies because it puts together three subtexts that are not usually seen as bedfellows. Phenomenology is a humanist enterprise, and anything (post) is a posthuman or postmodern enterprise. Are these compatible? This paper shows that they can be--if we re-think of curriculum as hovering in between in the interstices of the human and posthuman, the modern and postmodern, the human and the transhuman. That is, humanism is still part and parcel of postanything. We are still human are we not? Or are we. Some argue that philosophy is not relevant to curriculum. Or, they ask what does philosophy have to do with curriculum? Well, philosophy is relevant because the basic questions of philosophy are also the basic questions of curriculum. Why am I alive? What is death? What does it mean to be human? What is a robot? What is AI why is it dangerous? What are computers? How is all of this inter-related? At a time when universities are getting rid of the humanities or down playing their importance, (philosophy, history, languages, literature)—this paper argues that the university curriculum must include the humanities if we are to get through this life as humans and not monsters. Sartre once said that all European humanism did was create monstrosities. Yes, that is true. But still if humanism is both critiqued it can still be a useful way to intellectually get through the world.
Location
Stream A: Curriculum Dialogues
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Morris, Marla, "(Trans)Humanism, Curriculum Studies and Why Philosophy Matters" (2020). Curriculum Studies Summer Collaborative. 40.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cssc/2020/2020/40
(Trans)Humanism, Curriculum Studies and Why Philosophy Matters
Stream A: Curriculum Dialogues
This paper is about (trans)human philosophy and curriculum studies. Here, the author argues that a more (trans)human approach—one that includes the relations between cultural studies (here comics), (trans) gender studies and post-Husserlian phenomenology in this age of anxiety- might make us think and feel in new ways. This paper contributes to the field of curriculum studies because it puts together three subtexts that are not usually seen as bedfellows. Phenomenology is a humanist enterprise, and anything (post) is a posthuman or postmodern enterprise. Are these compatible? This paper shows that they can be--if we re-think of curriculum as hovering in between in the interstices of the human and posthuman, the modern and postmodern, the human and the transhuman. That is, humanism is still part and parcel of postanything. We are still human are we not? Or are we. Some argue that philosophy is not relevant to curriculum. Or, they ask what does philosophy have to do with curriculum? Well, philosophy is relevant because the basic questions of philosophy are also the basic questions of curriculum. Why am I alive? What is death? What does it mean to be human? What is a robot? What is AI why is it dangerous? What are computers? How is all of this inter-related? At a time when universities are getting rid of the humanities or down playing their importance, (philosophy, history, languages, literature)—this paper argues that the university curriculum must include the humanities if we are to get through this life as humans and not monsters. Sartre once said that all European humanism did was create monstrosities. Yes, that is true. But still if humanism is both critiqued it can still be a useful way to intellectually get through the world.
